The present invention relates generally to gas turbine engine airfoils and more particularly, but not exclusively, to a gas turbine engine airfoil having an outer flow surface defined by tiles held in position with retaining pins. Although, the present inventions were developed for use in gas turbine engines, certain applications may be outside this field.
A long recognized need by gas turbine engine designers is to attain higher operating temperatures in order to achieve both a greater thermodynamic efficiency and increased power output per unit of engine weight. Theoretically, a gas turbine engine would operate at stoichiometric combustion in order to extract the greatest possible energy from the fuel consumed. However, temperatures at stoichiometric and even near stoichiometric combustion are generally beyond the endurance capabilities of traditional metallic gas turbine engine components. Consequently, significant efforts have focused on developing enhanced cooling techniques and temperature and oxidation resistant metals for use in components of the engine, which are exposed to the higher temperatures.
An alternate approach to the attainment of higher operating temperatures in a gas turbine engine involves the use of components formed from ceramic materials. Ceramic materials are better able to withstand the high temperature oxidizing environment within the gas turbine engine. However, while many ceramic materials exhibit superior high temperature strength and oxidation resistance, they have historically been difficult to utilize in gas turbine engines.
Heretofor, there has been a need for light weight high temperature gas turbine engine components. The present invention satisfies this need in a novel and unobvious way.